Published at 11:53, Tuesday, 30 September 2008

LIFE’S a gas for four Cumbrians who have won apprenticeships with one of the region’s biggest employers.

You’re hired: From left, apprentices at United Utilities, Jordan Scott, Arron Adair, Sam Lynch and James Telford

Jordan Scott, 17, and Arron Adair, 16, from Whitehaven have joined Carlisle’s Sam Lynch and James Telford on United Utitlities’ gas mains apprenticeship programme.

The quartet came through a rigorous selection process and will now begin a three year training scheme before they become fully qualified.

Head of operations for United Utilities Graeme Liddell said: “This is the fourth year that we have run the apprenticeship programme.

“Like a lot of other companies, our workforce is getting older and these youngsters will be able to learn from their expertise and experience and take over from them when the time comes.”

Jordan said: “I feel very lucky to have this opportunity and I’m really looking forward to an exciting and busy career with United Utilities.”

The lads will work on the north west’s 36,000km network of gas mains on behalf of Northern Gas Networks, the company which owns it.

United Utilities employs around 1,100 staff and has depots in Yorkshire, Cumbria and the north east. The firm pipes gas to 2.4 million homes and businesses and replaces about 550km of gas mains every year.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk